Palác Chicago and the Kolowrat Family’s Patronage Activities

Building on the long-standing family tradition of patronage, the Kolowrat-Krakowský family today continues to support culture and education. This was the also the spirit behind the collaboration with the National Film Museum, NaFilM. The museum is the first of its kind in the Czech Republic to take the visitor into the fascinating world of film by combining history with state-of-the art technologies.

The Kolowrat family has close relationship with film. Alexander Josef Count Kolowrat-Krakowský was present at the birth of the Austrian film industry and became famous as a director and producer. It is no surprise then that between 2016 – 2018 an entire floor of the Palác Chicago (Chicago Palace) was transformed into an exhibition space, where visitors could experience the unique interactive exhibition Na film! 2: In Motion.

Last year, we also commemorated the 90th anniversary of the unique functionalist Palác Chicago building. The palace was built thanks to the collaboration between the young representative of the interwar avant-garde period, architect Josef Havlíček, and leading expert on reinforced concrete Jaroslav Polívka. The structure was built at the instigation of politician, diplomat and visionary Jindřich Josef Count Kolowrat-Krakowský.

Palác Chicago was one of the first constructivist palaces in Prague, and its character and being equipped with the modern conveniences of American skyscrapers put it well ahead of its time. Along with the Baťa shoe palace, Palác Chicago was a cutting-edge building in the Prague of that time.